What do you envisage if you consider a kitchen island? In most kitchens, an island tends to be a block of floating cabinetry within the heart of the house and, should you’re adventurous, you may design this in a contrasting materials, colour or countertop. Generally it is a freestanding piece of furnishings, even, or some stunning vintage repurposed and reimagined.
Nevertheless, typically inside designers simply go left-field with kitchen island concepts, making utterly surprising decisions, whether or not it is a materials not typically used, a intelligent design or simply taking an concept that’s slightly extra on a regular basis and elevating it into one thing unbelievable.
With that in thoughts, we have collected a few of our favourite kitchen islands that do one thing slightly bit totally different. From traditional designs re-imagined and interesting-yet-minimalist kitchens to thrilling shapes and outlandish supplies, these are among the many most uncommon and distinctive.
Luke is a design author and award-winning interiors blogger, who makes a speciality of luxurious properties and decor. Right here, he is curated a number of the most attention-grabbing and strange kitchen islands round, proving simply what’s attainable with this hub of the house.
1. This unbelievable island, propped up by a boulder
(Picture credit score: That is Advanced)
When designing this condominium, Andrea Kantelberg, founding father of Advanced Residing (opens in new tab), a way of life design model specializing in well being and wellbeing, needed to work in a central corridor desk – one thing she had all the time cherished in Higher East Facet conventional interiors, however that there was no place within the house’s plan for.
As an alternative, she included the idea of this desk into the island of the fashionable kitchen, with an uncommon, split-second concept. ‘I stored desirous about the grounding facet of coming into an inside, the sense of arrival, the pause earlier than a house opens to you,’ Andrea tells us, ‘and out of nowhere the concept was sparked of a boulder.’
‘From a design standpoint, I needed to acknowledge the therapeutic energy of nature, its influence on psychological well being and wellbeing,’ Andrea provides. ‘By introducing as many facets of those biophilic parts into this wellness house, my hope was that whomever skilled the house, would really feel the day by day stresses stripped away upon coming into.’
The boulder was sourced from a boulder yard in Ontario, which the designer visited, with measuring tape in hand, to seek out one which was the fitting top required for the island. Nevertheless, getting it into the positioning was one other story. ‘I pulled out the doc and realized that there had been a typo,’ Andrea remembers. ‘Slightly than 200 kilos as famous, the boulder weighed 2000 kilos!’ That they had first deliberate to crane it into the condominium, however determined it was too dangerous and as an alternative, a crew of 8 males needed to transfer the boulder by way of corridors and up within the elevator, one thing that solely labored inside millimeters.
‘As soon as within the house it felt as pure as I had conceived in my thoughts, it appeared easy and grounding,’ Andrea explains. ‘Quick ahead, and the magnitude of requests on the place to purchase a boulder, has been the most well-liked electronic mail acquired in our workplace.’
2. Or this monolithic stone island
(Picture credit score: Joel Esposito. Design: Studio Paolo Ferrari)
On this minimalist kitchen designed by Studio Paolo Ferrarri (opens in new tab), an unlimited 11×4′ stone island with a pure uncooked edge is the centerpiece of the design. It is constituted of a stable block of Muskoka granite that echoes the cliffs the home is ready into, constituted of the identical materials, that may be seen from the kitchen home windows.
‘This was an especially sophisticated piece,’ architect Paolo Ferrari explains. ‘We had the imaginative and prescient of eager to create a kitchen that each blended into the inside structure with a monumental island that related the inside to the positioning’s terrain.’
Whereas it appears the granite has simply been discovered within the good form and type, and retained its pure type, it is really been cleverly engineered. ‘They used equipment usually supposed for slicing and splitting outsized rocks to fastidiously form the island, Paolo explains.
Given its weight, it known as for some particular measures for use when establishing the house. ‘Structural helps have been built-in into the structure early on throughout the engineering section and fortunately we have been in a position to execute our unique imaginative and prescient,’ Paolo says. ‘It’s a rare facet of this undertaking.’
3. This smooth, natural design in a small condominium
(Picture credit score: Prue Ruscoe. Design: YSG Studio)
Through the renovation of this condominium, designer Yasmine Saleh Ghoniem of YSG Studio (opens in new tab) relocated the small kitchen for a floorplan that made extra sense with the oceanside views, nevertheless, this then additionally meant the island would sit instantly in entrance of the condominium’s balcony.
‘This tradition sculptural island bench-top was designed to take a seat at an angle, permitting for a transparent egress path round it,’ Yasmine tells us. ‘In flip, it transforms the usually useful ingredient into an ornamental piece particularly with the addition of the timber veneer ring round one leg.’
It is an intriguing design with a three-inch thick marble kitchen countertop units on two cylindrical legs. ‘The thicker drum incorporates the sink’s plumbing but it appears like an intentional aesthetic function,’ Yasmine explains. ‘The design additionally allows the open kitchen to look bigger provided that we selected to not construct an island bench with drawers and cabinets beneath its floor.’
4. This minimalist island constituted of columns
(Picture credit score: Manolo Langis. Design: Mandy Graham)
This house proves {that a} kitchen island would not should be a maximalist expression to be distinctive. In reality, this design is particular in the way in which that it not solely embraces supplies in a minimalist design, however the way it matches throughout the wider house and is completely crafted for operate within the house.
‘The kitchen encompasses a 13-and-a-half-foot island that echoes the geometry of the house’s structure,’ inside designer Mandy Graham (opens in new tab) explains. ‘Structural blocks of travertine have been thoughtfully positioned with the intent to embrace counter seating, hid storage and workspace from all sides.’
The big kitchen island is topped with a Neolith countertop, and presents a unique view from each angle, and at totally different gentle ranges. ‘The staggered stone blocks juxtapose gentle and shadow beneath the huge countertop,’ Mandy explains.
5. A luxe island created with offset stacked marble
(Picture credit score: Anson Good. Design: Tamsin Johnson)
Islands made totally from stunning pure stones might have as soon as been a singular concept, nevertheless in fashionable properties, they’ve grow to be much more of a standard prevalence. Nevertheless, inside designer Tamsin Johnson (opens in new tab) elevated this concept with a kitchen island in her own residence, that seems to be constituted of separate Calacatta Gioia marble blocks, stacked in an irregular, offset design.
It appears virtually gravity-defying, however whereas additionally bringing some motion and curiosity to the marble, it additionally helps the island really feel much less dominating and monolithic, whereas the countertop overhang permits for kitchen island seating to be included, too – one thing typically lacking from these stable block stone islands.
6. This subtly faceted quartz island design
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For architect Dieter Vander Velpen (opens in new tab), a stone-block kitchen island was the answer for making a showpiece for this contemporary kitchen. ‘The thought was to create an announcement kitchen island as a result of the proprietor is a passionate prepare dinner who likes to entertain, when he has friends he can actually use the kitchen as a sort of “stage”,’ Dieter explains.
Nevertheless, to carry a further curiosity, the architect launched one other dimension to the island with a delicate, faceted design. ‘We selected to create an island that provides the phantasm to be carved from an oblong central block that is aligned with the partitions and cabinetry, whereas the sides add a dynamic and sculptural high quality,’ Dieter says. ‘It is a sculptural piece that is aligned throughout the straight quantity of the house giving us one of the best of two worlds: an announcement, but additionally concord.’
The island is constituted of quartz, a pure stone and marble various, that’s hardier and could be present in stunning colours and patterns. ‘This one is named “Fusion Wow” and is a very extraordinary stone as a result of there’s a number of colour which is de facto becoming for this undertaking,’ Dieter says.
7. This double island with a swiveling ‘platter’
(Picture credit score: Prue Ruscoe. Design: YSG Studio)
From the outset, this kitchen is filled with daring interventions. A blue granite peninsula extends from the kitchen partitions, sitting apart a kitchen island – an undoubtedly uncommon kitchen format for together with an island.
‘Including sculptural enchantment, an offset floating plinth with a curved return sits upon drum legs beside the kitchen counter,’ Yasmine from YSG Studio explains. ‘A plum-toned fulcrum supporting a 360-degree rotating granite ‘platter’ (an entertaining gadget for canapés or cheese) connects the 2 constructions and offers friends one thing to play with the second they sit down for a drink.’ It has a twin operate as a bar as properly come dusk.
8. This inventive, rounded design in a Utah house
(Picture credit score: Malissa Mabey. Design: Susannah Holmberg Studios)
Uncommon stones, curved shapes, freestanding islands and fluted, paneled surfaces – every of those are large kitchen tendencies proper now. This dynamic kitchen island created by inside designer Susannah Holmberg of Susannah Holmberg Studios (opens in new tab)encapsulates all of them for a contemporary, distinctive design.
‘The objective of the design was to create a versatile walk-out house that will double as a second household kitchen and a spot to entertain household and mates, so it solely appeared pure to go together with a a enjoyable and playful design,’ says Susannah, ‘however one which additionally feels elevated.’
‘Going with a pill-shaped island and veined purple marble appeared to suit the invoice,’ Susannah provides. ‘We paired it with the present black cupboards which we softened with brass {hardware} and a impartial glazed zellige. The result’s a playful kitchen that works with the colour palette of the remainder of the house: maroon, purple, dusty blue and cream.’
9. This traditional island packed filled with storage
(Picture credit score: Nate Sheets. Design: Kobel & Co)
This kitchen could also be traditional in design, however the island is a singular concept, incorporating draw fronts from corner-to-corner for a sublime look. ‘We customized the island with a walnut body and burl inlay to imitate the sensation of an vintage European cased good,’ explains Mallory Robins, co-founder of inside design studio Kobel & Co (opens in new tab).
‘All 4 sides include some ingredient of usable kitchen storage (opens in new tab), with stationary panels solely occurring on the nook,’ she provides. ‘The island is totally outsized drawers, spec’d to fulfill the purchasers’ particular culinary wants, except a mixer elevate cupboard on the again facet.’
